I found myself struck with a bit of awe, too. The hologram looked three-dimensional, a point that was shown off when he turned around and outstretched his arms.

You could see his the folds in his gray suit wrinkle and the fringe shake on his arms. He adjusted his sunglasses. His guitar cord swayed.

Orbison frequently turned to acknowledge the symphony band and pair of singers backing him. They were all exquisite, filling the room with a lush, nostalgic sound that carried his vocals, many of which were previously unheard recordings.

In many ways, Orbison is the perfect candidate for the technology. He wasn't much for stage banter when he was alive, and he usually stood stoically at the microphone.

Orbison was in the midst of a career resurgence when he died of a heart attack in 1988. He was just 52 years old, leaving a sense of unfinished business.

In Dreams: Roy Orbison the Hologram Tour, then, aims to fill in the gaps for fans. The show, less concert and more theatrical productions, was overseen by his family. The minor movements of an actor were filmed and superimposed onto a digital image of Orbison.

The setlist included Orbison's most recognizable hits: "Only the Lonely," "Crying," "In Dreams," "Oh, Pretty Woman." But this show is less about the music and more about the technical feat. The hourlong set was peppered with photos, videos and testimonies from Barry Gibb, Bono and Tom Petty.

The hologram cast a large reflection instead of a shadow on the back curtain, and he would disappear in a wisp of smoke. Those moments sometimes broke the illusion. But the magic eventually returned.